This invention relates generally to automated manufacturing systems, and more particularly to an end effector for use with a robotic manipulator arm which can accurately sense the location of a stud member and place a holed object thereupon.
Factory automation systems are being designed to automate repetitive tasks in the manufacturing process. These automated systems typically include industrial robots or manipulators which are movable to accomplish a variety controller. These robots and the tasks they perform are generally changeable through software programming in the computer-based controller. One repetitive task for which automated tooling could be particular useful is the placing of washers or drive nuts on threaded studs which protrude through a horizontal flat surface. The data describing the location of each stud is provided from a data base in the computer, which manipulates the robotic arm and the end effector disposed thereon to the desired location to place the washers and nuts on the studs. A problem encountered in performing this task is that the combined effect of robot inaccuracy, stud coordinate inaccuracy and vertical misalignment of the stud could make it impossible to accurately place the washer and drive the nut, on a consistent repetitive basis.